How To Work Smarter And Play More

Want to work smarter and play more? I'm sharing some of my best time management tips today!

I feel like I hear the whole "Beyonce has the same 24 hours each day that we do" quite a bit. I mean, when we think of Beyonce, we think of this total boss who is killing the game right now. As I've started working in the "real world," I've realized just how important it is to manage my time wisely. I learned quite a bit about time management in college - I was a full-time student, involved in a sorority and different student media groups (and held a few leadership roles), worked, and also interned. At one point, I was working two jobs, so I needed to figure out how to strategize and use my time wisely. Because sleep is so important to me, I prioritized my eight hours of sleep, too. Yeah, this college lady did not ever pull an all-nighter.

When you're trying to use your 24 hours better, start by auditing your time. Do this for a week. Keep track of how you're using your time. Write down that meeting you have every Monday. How did you spend the first 30 minutes of your morning? What did you do when you got home from work? Keep track of everything you're doing throughout the day. This helps you realize what you're doing and where your time is going. Sometimes, you might realize that you're taking too long in the morning scrolling through Instagram. You might even realize that you don't take enough time for your relationship, friends, and family. It just opens your eyes and helps your prioritize different areas of your life.

Get in the habit of setting a deadline for tasks. Whether you're working on an important project for work or just want to clean out your closet, give yourself a deadline so you are less likely to procrastinate or just never get it done.

Something else that was a total game-changer for me was planning my week every Sunday. I sit down and look at what's coming up for the week and plan it out on the calendar on my phone and my DayDesigner. Because things can change quickly, I plan out my day in my DayDesigner the night before. I love it because it has a schedule, to-do list and even a space to write down some daily gratitude, which I think is so important. We all could use a little more gratitude in our lives, right?

Turn off your notifications. Because of the work that I do, I already spend a lot of time on my phone and social media, but I can easily waste time just because I'm scrolling through Instagram and laughing at Tweets. I ended up turning off the notifications on my phone. The only notifications I get are for calls, texts, and Facetime calls. When my notifications were on, I would immediately check it because I hate having unchecked notifications. What was supposed to be a quick e-mail or Instagram DM response, would turn in to scrolling aimlessly for like an hour. Turning off notifications has been a true game changer on the amount of time I waste on my phone.

Let's stop multitasking, okay? Multitasking isn't actually doing you any favors. Start focusing on one thing at a time.

Give yourself a break. Schedule a break for yourself at least every 90 minutes. I've heard that our brains can only focus on something for 90 minutes, so give your brain a break. Take a walk around the block, listen to some music, or take a nap if you need it. It's okay to take a break. You deserve it!

When you're waiting, knock out some tasks. If you find yourself waiting in a line or in a waiting room, knock out some e-mails or listen to that podcast. Find opportunities like that to get some things done.

Organize your e-mail! I know so many people who have like 54,885,345 e-mails just sitting in their inbox. They read or respond to the e-mails, but they just sit there. Move e-mails to the trash, make folders for important e-mails that are work related or contain receipts. You'll be surprised how much better you'll feel.

Get moving and make sleep a priority. Get your steps in and lift some weights. When you're active, you just feel better. I always have more energy and feel more motivated. It also helps me sleep. Sleeping should be a priority. You should aim to get your seven to nine hours every single night. Sleep should be non-negotiable. Get your rest.

We all get one life, which is why I feel like it is so important to spend your time well. We all want to work smarter and play more. Life should be fulfilling. Life is meant to be lived well.

About The Blogger

Hey! My name is Amanda and welcome to my little corner of the internet where I talk about being a living your best life, beauty, travel, college, and just life in general. I work in broadcast media and love to bake, catch up on entertainment news, and travel.

Happy Monday! Ready to conquer this week? You got it, girl! I spent Friday night in Atlanta and came back home Saturday for my mom's b...

A Note To You

Just a note to you.. Sometimes, I'll use affiliate links for products, services, apps, and websites that I talk about here, which means that if you click on the link or make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. I will always disclose affiliate links and they help keep this blog up and running. I only support and talk about brands, products, and places that I really love. Thank you for your support!
Follow